L6 - The Content of Condtioning Flashcards

1
Q

Why must experimenters be careful in designing conditioning experiments designed to be purely Pavlovian or instrumental?

A

The association the animal learns may not be the one the experimenter intends. Crossover between classical and istrumental.

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2
Q

What are the four types of outcome that can occur when PavlovianxInstrumental design is crossed with Pavlovian/Instrumental learning?

LEARN BRACKETS BITS

A
  • Pavlovian design, Pavlovian learning (pure classical conditioning)
  • Pavlovian design, “instrumental” learning (Superstition)
  • Instrumental design, instrumental learning (pure instrumental conditioning
  • Instrumental design, Pavlovian learning (implicit Pavlovian learning)
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3
Q

What test can be used to determine if a response is instrumental or Pavlovian?

A

The omission test can be used.

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4
Q

How does the omission test work?

A

The CR must now prevent the US from occurring. A true instrumental response will extinguish quickly, because it is within the animal’s control. A Pavlovian response will not pass the omission test - the animal will continue producing it reflexively, because it is outside conscious control.`

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5
Q

What paradigm is commonly used to demonstrate that a response which appears instrumental can actually be Pavlovian?

A

Autoshaping in pigeons. Pigeons will learn to peck at a light that predicts food. However, this behaviour fails the omission test, indicating it is a Pavlovian reflex.

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6
Q

Auto-shaping in pigeons

A

The pigeon will start pecking at the light in expectation to being delivered food.

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7
Q

Long-box in pigeons

A

Long box, with light at one end and food delivered at other end. The pigeon still feels a need to run to the light when it comes on and peck at it, and then bolt to the other end to receive the food.

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8
Q

Omission in pigeons

A

If the pigeon pecks the light that will cancel the food on that trial. The pigeon can’t stop pecking, so this behaviour fails the omission test (if this was a truly instrumental response the pigeon should have no trouble omitting the response)

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9
Q

Do Pavlovian CRs and Instrumental CRs pass or fail the omission test?

A

Pavlovian CRs FAILS omission test - subjects can’t ‘control’ their response.

Instrumental CRs PASS the omission test.

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10
Q

What feature of conditioned responses allowed the CS-UR theory to persist?

A

In many cases, the CR is equivalent to the UR. Thus it appears that a simple S-R link between the CS and UR is being formed.

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11
Q

List three phenomena that can’t be explained by S-R learning.

A
  • conditioning occurs even when responses are prevented during training
  • devaluation of the US affects responding to the CS. Responding depends on value of US at time of testing, not initial training
  • mediated conditioning. punishing a CS can reduce responding to the US
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12
Q

Why can it be difficult to disentangle S-S and S-R learning? According to Holland

A
  • A single stimuli can consist of multiple features.
  • Conditioning probably happens on multiple levels.

An animal probably acquires multiple S-S connections with regard to several features of a CS, and S-R connection with regard to its behaviour in response to that stimulus

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13
Q

Although CR’s are useful indexes of conditioning, what is their limitation?

A

CR’s don’t indicate the content of what is learnt.

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14
Q

Give an example of different CS’ to the same US producing different CR’s.

A

Rats given shocks will react differently depending on the CS.

  • if the CS is diffuse, like a noise, rats will freeze
  • if the CS is localised, like a probe, rats will withdraw from it or attempt to bury it

This is because it is not about the sensory qualities of the US, motor response

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15
Q

How did Rescorla show that a Pavlovian CS can influence instrumental behaviour?

A
  • in the first phase, Rescorla classically conditioned CS1 (sucrose) and CS2 (food) to two different stimuli, US1 and US2.
  • the second, instrumental phase, Rescorla trained rats to pull a chain for US1 and press a lever for US2
  • in the third phase, Rescorla presented CS’ 1 and 2. CS 1 increased chain pulling, and CS 2 increased lever pressing - if you play c1 they then pull the chain more, reminds them of the action.
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16
Q

Prepardness to learn associations (Garcia and Koelling)

A

Rate of condtioning depends on the CS, evolutionary processes and ontogenic change.

17
Q

Cue to Consequence effect (Garcia and Koelling)

A

Rats when drink a substance and a light comes on, either shock or nausea, depending on what is paired depends on what they associate it with ie nausea with taste, shock with light

18
Q

What are situations where cross over happens?

A

Intend to teach IC but CC happens and vice versa

19
Q

Give an example of superstition

A

Pigeon pecking when the key light when it comes on

20
Q

Experiment that supports S-S view of conditioning

A

Mediated conditioning

Phase 1:
CS1 + food1
Cs 2 + food2

Phase 2:
CS2 + illness

Test:
Eat less of food2 due to association of feeling ill with CS2

21
Q

Explain how S-S learning is different to S-R learning

A

S-S learning associates the CS with the US and making one less appealing will effect the response to both

S-R learning CS-US responded to separately, manipulating one shouldn’t effect response to the other

22
Q

Describe multiple levels of learning from the US to the UR and how the CS could be associated to any of these levels

A

Sensory (shock) - S-S learning

motor (escpape) end points S-R learning

Doesn’t have to be all or none

Middle elaborative stages (incentive value, fear)

23
Q

What is the preparedness to learn argument against radical behaviourism?

A

an argument against radical behaviourism due to differing responses to different stimuli called based on ontenology and changes and evolultionary processes?

In radical behaviourism this would be equal

24
Q

Secondary order conditioning experiment showing that the content of conditioning is the same even when the CRs they generate are different

A

Phase 1:
Light - food
tone - food

CR (pecking) - to light not tone

Phase 2:
X - tone
Y - light

CR - pecking to both

S-S learning